Exploring the Familiar

Sorry for the long absence – Scott and I get married in 1.5 months so life has been filled with lots of busy. However, that doesn’t mean that we haven’t been able to sneak in some fun. In fact, we’ve really treasured the times we’ve gotten to shake things up and see something new (as if there isn’t enough “new” happening in our lives right now). We’re gearing up to go to St. Martin for our honeymoon, so our “trips” have looked more like finding things to do in Waco or going to cities around us that we know pretty well, but trying to do some new things and take part in the local happenings. We’ve definitely felt more connected to our city than ever, have had some new experiences, and have had a lot of fun doing it. This post isn’t going to be super crazy and adventurous, but I really hope that it inspires you to discover more of the places that you might see every day. Specifically in our own city, it’s been fun to find resources that suggest new things to do, since I’ve lived here for almost 7 years now and have done most of the basic things to do around town. There are always new things to see and new people meet, it might just take some creativity to find it! Your own city deserves to be explored just as much as the city that you’re dreaming about going to, and it will provide a lot of fun for those in between trip moments. For me personally, this helps me stay present in the moment that’s in front of me, as well as including the people around me, rather than constantly thinking about the next trip and new place that I’d “rather” be.

March 30th – April 1st

This weekend was all about the local vibes. Scott and I went to 2 shows at Common Grounds, which is an outdoor venue in the backyard of a coffee shop. I’ve been going to CG shows for many years, but I hadn’t been to any in a while so it was super fun and nostalgic! We saw 2 very different bands – Jenny & Tyler and Honest Men – which had drastically different atmospheres, but it was fun to support both.

April 1st was the second annual Texas Food Truck Showdown. Scott had gone to this event last year, but I had refused due to a very large crowd in a very small space. This year, they definitely took what they learned from last year and applied it, creating a much more pleasant experience that I was happy to partake in. As it sounds, a lot of food trucks from Central Texas are all parked in the same vicinity, and they are competing to win different awards. If you arrive at the showdown pre-4 p.m., you have to purchase a voucher to eat at a food truck. Each truck is only making 1 signature dish that is being judged. After 4 p.m., most food trucks stick around and offer a more expanded menu, and you pay as normal. There was local music and entertainment, as well as a water skiing squirrel, face painting, and some other vendors. My personal favorite food truck was called May The Cheese Be With You, which was Star Wars themed and sold grilled cheese.

Bonus – Scott’s dad was in town, making everything more fun

April 15th

Scott and I headed to Dallas for a day trip! Scott had picked out some places to go beforehand, so the first place we headed was the Dallas Arboretum. I’d been wanting to go there around this time last year, because they have some amazing spring blooms that are really popular. The arboretum is massive, and there is a lot to see! We had fun walking around, but I was bummed we didn’t check the schedule beforehand. They had a ballet performance, and we just missed it by about an hour, which would’ve been truly magical. But nonetheless, it was a really enjoyable experience! We decided to eat lunch there, which was kind of a regrettable mistake, but you live and you learn. Not a ton of great options at the cafe we went to, but we were just pretty hungry and willing to do whatever at that point.

After walking around the arboretum, we went to Hypnotic Emporium for some ice cream. It’s just down the road from the arboretum and has some really tasty treats! I got a massive s’mores milkshake and I have 0 regrets

Our next activity was the Perot Museum. We’ve been here before and loved it, but only got through the special exhibit and the 4th floor. This time we made it through the 4th and 3rd floors, and did a quick walk through of the 2nd floor. We still have not learned our lesson on giving it the entire day to be there, but it just keeps us coming back for more! Our absolute favorite this time around was the gem and mineral exhibit

Looking for some Waco Town resources? Here are some of my favorite ways to keep up to speed with what’s happening in my city!